Explaining pregnancy to people with learning disability

[LittleCM]

Can anyone help me to find the best way to explain pregnancy to people with learning difficulties? Especially, for people with no speech.

I'm a self employed music therapist and work with children and adults with disabilities. I'm 23 weeks and it's time to tell them I'll be leaving and why. Does anyone know a good website that I can get hold of pictures to explain to them. Or any experience to share as what to say to them.

Many thanks

LittleCM

[first1]

Hi, I'm a play therapist for children with autism. I'm 28 weeks and there's no hiding my bump anymore. Ever since the twenty week scan, I've put up posters of families. From couples, to families, and particular families with babies. I've got the children to bring in pictures of themselves as babies and we've talked about "growing up" and developing and relayed that to my growing tummy. I've had all the "where do babies come from" questions but I'm in no position to explain that to them. But we've looked at other animals like butterflies etc and how they develop. I've explained that every person and every animal in the world has "been born". As the children are autistic, they obviously need a lot of warning about changes to their routine, so I've been slowly telling them that I'll be leaving soon (33weeks, job's getting too physically tiring now!)and have introduced the lady who will be taking over from me, once a week into our sessions. This has definitely helped. If you have any other ideas please do let me know! It's nice to hear from someone else in such a similar situation!

[LittleCM]

Yes, I agree there is no one size fits all. Most people I work with have little speech and I'm yet to learn the sign language. I hope to read other people's experiences and find the suitable method to explain to them.

[pagwatch]

when I was pregnant with DD I had to explain to DS2.
He got that my tummy was getting bigger and I showed him a picture of a baby inside from a baby book.
He got it straight away. he wasn't interested in the hows or whys tbh - not concerned. And the birth was
"and splash and spill it out.." which wasn't actually that close

I would give the basic fact thatthere is a baby growing and worry about questions when they come.
TBH - a lot of people don't give a shit about why people are leaving/wwhy things are changing they only want to know how they will be impacted.
I suspect most of your clients will be the same.

DS2 is missing a friend at the moment as her mother is ill. She keeps trying to eaplain but honestly he doesn't care - he just misses her and wants her to come and see him.
Don't over complicate it